Top 3 Digital Marketing Methods for Hospitals

Many people will conduct research to figure out which hospital is best. When people are conducting these searches, you want to ensure that they can find your website first.

It is important to build your digital presence, so people can find your hospital online. As you begin researching your options for digital marketing, you will find that there are many advertising opportunities available to you.

The hardest part of digital marketing is figuring out which methods are best for your hospital. With so many opportunities available, how do you know which methods will be successful for your business?

If you want to figure out which methods will fit your hospital best, call us today at 888-601-5359 or keep reading to learn about the top three methods you can implement into your plan.

1. Search engine optimization (SEO) for hospitals

Many people will conduct searches to find hospitals near them. With search engine optimization (SEO), you can help your website get to the first page of results.

This is important because 75% of people don’t look past the first page. If you aren’t on the first page, most people won’t see your site. You could miss out on potential leads.

The first step to utilizing SEO is selecting your keywords. Keywords determine when your website appears in the search results.

When you select keywords, you want to focus on using long tail keywords. Long tail keywords contain three or more words, while short tail keywords only have one or two.

Long tail keywords are better for your website because they have less competition. Short tail keywords have a lot of competition because they are very generic. By using long tail keywords, you won’t have as much competition, and you’ll see better results.

Your visitors are also conducting very specific searches. They are more likely to use long tail keywords because they want the most precise results possible.

Once you choose your keywords, you’ll need to optimize your website and include those terms in key places like your title tags, headings, and content.

When Google ranks your site, they look at numerous factors that affect a user’s experience on your site. Google wants to rank sites that bolster a positive user experience rather than a negative one.

These are some factors you’ll want to check on when optimizing your site.

1. Page speed

When people are experiencing an emergency, they don’t want to wait to receive care. When it comes to visiting a website, they don’t want to wait, either. Users don’t like slow-loading websites because they want immediate answers.

If your page loads too slowly, users will return to the search results. This will increase your bounce rate. You don’t want to increase your bounce rate because it can negatively impact your search rankings.

Not sure if your page speed is up to par? Check out our page speed services.

2. Design

Many times, your website is the first point of interaction between your hospital and potential patients.

You don’t want to have a design that is old or unattractive. This will turn people away and send them back to the search results.

In order to keep people on your site, you’ll want to update your design. Your design should be simple, but appealing.

You’ll need to pick colors for your website. You should use these colors consistently across your site. These colors need to reflect your hospital because people will associate those particular colors with your brand.

By creating an up-to-date and modern website, you will keep people on your website longer. This will decrease your bounce rate and increase the amount of time people spend on your website.

3. Navigation

A clean website design is half of the puzzle. The other half is having a site that is easy to navigate. You don’t want users to struggle to find information on your site.

The best way to ensure your visitors can find everything is to use simplified navigation. Your headings should be broad, so they can include multiple topics. You can include sections with your services, your doctors, and other important information.

This simple navigation will make it easy for visitors to find the information they need. And you will keep people on your pages longer by having an easy-to-use navigation.

These are just a few of the numerous factors Google considers when ranking your site.

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2. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising for hospitals

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a great way to reach potential patients. PPC advertisements appear at the top of the search results, above the organic SEO listings.

These ads utilize keywords, similar to SEO. You’ll want to use long tail keywords for these advertisements because there is less competition. This type of keyword will draw in more credible traffic for your hospital.

You will need to set your maximum bid. This is the amount you are willing to pay each time someone clicks on your advertisement. Your max bid is flexible and can be changed at any time.

Your cost-per-click (CPC) will be lower with long tail keywords because there is less competition to drive up the price. This enables you to get more clicks with your budget.

Once your bid amount is set, you will get your placement. Your placement is determined by your maximum bid as well as your quality score.

PPC is a great opportunity for your hospital to advertise particular surgeries or services you provide. Many people will conduct specific searches for care, such as cancer treatment. These people also search for hospitals that will conduct specific major surgeries or have particular services.

By using PPC, you can help people find your hospital first. You will draw in people who are ready to make a decision about where to go for care. In fact, 65% of all high-intent searches result in clicking on a PPC ad.

This means that people who are really interested in finding a hospital for the care they need are more likely to click on your PPC ad. They are the people that are ready to decide on a hospital, so PPC ads can help you gain a leg up against competitors.

PPC is very budget-friendly too. You can set how much you want to spend on a campaign and stick to that amount. You’ll never incur additional or unforeseen costs.

This method is a great way to drive the right traffic for your hospital. By utilizing PPC, you’ll be able to get more patients to pick your hospital over the competition.

3. Content marketing for hospitals

Content marketing is a great way to help draw in people who aren’t directly searching for a hospital. This type of marketing is when you provide valuable information to prospective patients.

Your content can be in formats such as blogs, videos, or infographics. This content is meant to provide users with information they will find helpful. You’ll need to keep your audience in mind when you are creating content.

People are constantly seeking out information and content. This is even more true when it comes to health care. Many people seek out health advice, tips, or information about how to find the best provider.

Your content can cover numerous topics that users are interested in. You can create a blog about tips for managing diabetes, a testimonial video about someone who had a positive experience with your care, or an infographic about the benefits of quitting smoking.

Content is very broad and offers many opportunities for you to reach new patients. These people may find your content and read it, but it won’t necessarily bring them to your hospital right away.

These people will remember your content when it comes time for them to need a care provider. They will remember the helpful information you provided and choose your hospital’s care over competitors.

Want to speak with an expert? Call us at 888-601-5359

Let WebFX take care of digital marketing for your hospital

If you’re ready to start incorporating digital marketing into your advertising plan, let WebFX help. We’re a full-service digital marketing company that specializes in helping hospitals reach more patients.

We have a team of over 500 digital marketing experts that will contribute their experience and knowledge to your campaign. We’ll help you create a customized plan that will help you reach more patients.

Our clients love the work we do for them. In fact, we have over 1020 client testimonials from a variety of industries. Check them out to see for yourself what it’s like to partner with a top digital marketing company like WebFX!

Learn more about digital marketing for hospitals

Ready to start creating your digital marketing plan for your hospital? Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a specialist!

We look forward to working with you!